109th Precinct: Strangulation, Robbery Pattern

The NYPD is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a man accused of strangling an employee at a Flushing internet café on June 22.

This man is being sought by police in connection with a strangulation in Flushing.

The suspect, described as an Asian man in his 20s, refused to pay for using the facilities at the Time Internet Café, located at 136-31 41 Ave., according to the NYPD. The man punched a 19-year-old employee in the face after the employee confronted him and insisted that he pay, knocking the employee to the ground. The man then began choking the employee before fleeing the scene in an unknown direction, the NYPD said.

The employee suffered bruising and lacerations to his face and neck and was treated at the scene. The man was last seen wearing a blue button down shirt and blue jeans.

ROBBERY PATTERN —

Police said that they have arrested one youth in a series of robberies within the confines of the 109th Precinct and are searching for four other individuals.

On June 27, a 38-year-old man was walking to his parked vehicle when he was approached by a group of five men in front of 132-18 41st Ave. in Flushing just after 5 a.m. The suspects grabbed the victim, held down his arms and went through his pockets. They removed an undisclosed amount of cash from his back right pocket and fled the location. The victim sustained pain to his torso as a result of the incident and was treated at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens.

Just before 6 a.m. that same day, a 62-year-old man was sitting at a table inside of a McDonald’s, located at 30-01 Stratton St. in Flushing, when an unknown man grabbed the victim’s unattended cell phone on the table. The victim exited the location and chased after the suspect. The victim was then approached by four other men who claimed they would help him retrieve his phone. The men then told the victim that he would have to pay to get the phone back. When the victim refused to pay, one of the men struck him on the head with an unknown object. The men attempted to remove the victim’s wallet and then fled the scene. The victim sustained a fracture to his right eye socket and was treated at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

As a result of an investigation into the incidents, police arrested one of the individuals—16-year-old Darnell Williams, of 137-17 234th St. in Laurelton—involved in both robbery incident. He was charged with robbery and assault.

The other four individuals have been described as black men between the ages of 18 and 25 years.